Ice removing tool

ABSTRACT

An ice removing tool consisting of an elongate insulated handle having a yoke at the upper end with a steel grooved pulley journalled in the yoke and adapted to engage a cable having ice encrusted thereon. The pulley wheel is rolled along the cable using the handle to break up the encrusted ice on the cable thus freeing the cable of ice.

United States Patent Caldwell Nov. 4, 1975 ICE REMOVING TOOL 1,778,086 10/1930 Palm et a1. 254 1343 R Inventor: Russell E. Caldwell, 324 n S, 3,433,521 3/1969 Lasko 294/19 R watertown 57201 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Flledi 1974 Assistant Examine'rRoscoe V. Parker No: Attorney, Agent, 'or Firm-Victor Evans & CO.

IRA T [52] US. Cl 81/3 R; 15/2566; 294/19 R 1 ABS 51 1111.61. B25B 9/00; B0813 11/00 An Ice removing I001 con-818mg of an elongate Insu- [58] Field of Search 81/3 R; 294/19 R; lated handle having a yoke at the pp end with a 254/1343 5 25 5 steel grooved pulley journalled in the yoke and adapted to engage a cable having ice encrusted 5 References Cited thereon. The pulley wheel is rolled along the cable UNITED STATES PATENTS using the handle to break up the encrusted ice on the cable thus freeing the cable of ice. 439,916 11/1890 whlttlesey 15/2566 1,743,100 1 1930 Blackburn .1 254/1343 R 4 C1aims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 3,916,732

ICE REMOVING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ice removing tools for power and telephone cables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The ice removing tool of the present invention includes an elongate shaft formed of insulating material and having a rope receiving clevis secured to its lower end. A yoke is secured to the upper end of the shaft and has a steel grooved pulley wheel joumalled therein and adapted for engaging over a cable to be rolled therealong to thus break up encrusted ice thereon.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a safe, efficient, hand operated device for removing ice from power and telephone cables.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the invention shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral indicates generally a hand manipulated tool for removing encrusted ice from overhead cables.

The tool 10 includes an elongate handle shaft 11 formed of wood, fiberglas or other insulating material. The handle 11 has a generally U-shaped clevis 12 secured to the lower end thereof by means of a bolt 13 secured by a nut 14. The clevis 12 is adapted to receive a rope (not shown) for pulling the tool 10 along a cable.

A yoke generally indicated at 15 includes a straight portion 16 extending longitudinally outwardly of the end of the handle shaft 11 and secured thereto by means of bolts 17 and nuts 18. The yoke 15 has a U- shaped bight 19 carrying a straight portion 20 thereon 2 in spaced apart parallel relation to the straight portions 16 of the yoke 15. The lower end of the straight portion 20 curves downwardly and outwardly at 21 for reasons to be assigned.

A bolt 22 extends through the straight portions 16 and the straight portions 20 of the yoke 15 and is secured therein by a nut 23. A pulley wheel 24 having a groove 25 extending thereabout is joumalled on a bearing 26 carried by the bolt 22 so as to permit the pulley 24 to rotate clearly within the yoke 15.

In the use and operation of the invention the handle 11 is raised and the yoke 15 is engaged over an overhead cable utilizing the downwardly and outwardly curved portion 21 as a guide. The pulley wheel 24 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the cable, or rather the ice encrusted thereon, and the handle 11 is then used to roll the pulley wheel 24 along the cable in order to break up encrusted ice thereon. A rope (not shown) is attached to the clevis 12 to permit the tool 10 to be pulled over terrain which may drop away from the cable a distance which would prevent the user from reaching the handle 11.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand manipulated ice removing tool comprising an elongate insulated handle shaft, a yoke secured to the upper end of said shaft, a pulley wheel joumalled in said yoke for engaging a cable to be deiced, and means on said yoke for guiding said yoke onto the cable.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yoke includes a generally straight portion secured to the upper end of said handle shaft, a generally U-shaped bight integrally formed on said straight portion and having a second straight portion depending therefrom in spaced apart parallel relation to said first straight portion with said pulley wheel mounted between said straight portions.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for guiding said yoke onto a cable comprises a downwardly and outwardly curved portion integrally formed on said second straight portion.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 including a rope receiving clevis secured to the lower end of said handle shaft. 

1. A hand manipulated ice removing tool comprising an elongate insulated handle shaft, a yoke secured to the upper end of said shaft, a pulley wheel journalled in said yoke for engaging a cable to be deiced, and means on said yoke for guiding said yoke onto the cable.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yoke includes a generally straight portion secured to the upper end of said handle shaft, a generally U-shaped bight integrally formed on said straight portion and having a second straight portion depending therefrom in spaced apart parallel relation to said first straight portion with said pulley wheel mounted between said straight portions.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for guiding said yoke onto a cable comprises a downwardly and outwardly curved portion integrally formed on said second straight portion.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 including a rope receiving clevis secured to the lower end of said handle shaft. 